Chapter 186: Engagement Annulled

Chapter 186: Dissolving the Engagement

Su Wan had never expected that Jiang Shuning would return the hidden gold hairpin to the Su residence.

Looking into Jiang Shuning's calm, placid eyes, a chilling suspicion surged within her heart: Jiang Shuning had seen through everything from the very beginning!

She had deliberately stepped into this trap, deliberately worn another similar gold hairpin, just to lure herself and the Third Prince's Consort step by step, to lay all the schemes and conspiracies bare before everyone's eyes, and then, at the final moment, deliver this fatal blow, nailing her firmly to the pillar of shame!

This thought struck Su Wan like a basin of icy water, pouring from her head down, sending a chill through her entire body.

How could a seventeen-year-old girl like Jiang Shuning possess such frightening cunning!

She had quietly gone along with their plot, playing out this drama flawlessly, only revealing the truth at the very last moment, leaving them with no room for rebuttal!

The atmosphere within the Lin'ge Hall fell into an eerie silence after Xiao Lingchuan's command.

All eyes were fixed on Su Wan's face, as pale as paper—some filled with contempt, some with shock, others with malicious glee.

Jiang Yaozhen, standing by, subtly tightened her fingers by her side, her nails digging deep into her palms.

She, too, was shocked by Jiang Shuning's countermove, but she reacted more quickly, her mind already racing to figure out how to extricate herself from this quagmire without leaving a trace.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly, each second a slice of torment on Su Wan's heart.

Finally, Ling Feng's figure appeared like a ghost at the hall's entrance once more. He carried a brocade box, walked steadily to the center of the hall, and went down on one knee: "Your Highness, the gold hairpin has been retrieved."

Nanny Wu stepped forward to take the brocade box and presented it to the Dowager Empress.

The Dowager Empress ordered coldly: "Have the imperial physician examine it."

The imperial physician steppped forward, took the crabapple gold hairpin, which was identical to the one on Jiang Shuning's head, and gave it a gentle twist. The seemingly seamless handle opened with a soft click, and a small amount of white powder spilled out from the broken end.

The physician tested the poison and then reported with certainty: "Your Majesty, Your Highness, this poison is an exact match for the poison that afflicted Miss Zhang!"

A collective gasp ran through the hall.

Xiao Lingchuan's gaze shot toward Su Wan like a dagger: "The Su family's servants have also confirmed that this gold hairpin was returned to the residence before the birthday banquet even began. That means Miss Jiang had no chance to come into contact with this poisoned hairpin when she arrived at the banquet."

His voice was low, but each word weighed a ton, hammering Su Wan until she swayed on her feet.

"This crabapple gold hairpin was a gift from Miss Su to Miss Jiang. It still bears the poisoned powder from Miss Zhang's wound. Miss Su, how do you explain this?"

Xiao Lingchuan's voice turned suddenly cold, carrying an oppressive, aggressive tone.

Su Wan could no longer stand. With a thud, she fell to her knees.

Tears and mucus streaming down her face, she screamed desperately: "It wasn't me! It wasn't me! Miss Zhang said it herself—Miss Jiang stabbed her! You all heard it!"

"The area by the rockery was dimly lit, and it's not surprising that Miss Zhang, in her panic, would mistake the person." Xiao Lingchuan didn't even glance at her; instead, he turned to the Dowager Empress and bowed: "Grandmother, Miss Su is malicious and ruthless, daring to stab a court official's family member at the Third Prince's Consort's birthday banquet and trying to frame someone else. Her crime is unpardonable! Your grandson proposes she receive fifty heavy lashes as a warning!"

Fifty heavy lashes!

Su Wan was scared out of her wits.

Given her pampered, delicate body, not to mention fifty lashes, even twenty could cost her life!

Her survival instinct drove her to forget everything and turn to Jiang Yaozhen nearby, crying out: "Third Prince's Consort! Third Prince's Consort, say something! Help me, please!"

Jiang Yaozhen's expression stiffened slightly at being called out.

She looked at Su Wan's miserable state, and the last shred of hesitation in her heart vanished.

This pawn was already useless. If she didn't distance herself now, she would get burned.

She immediately put on a pained expression, stepped forward, and frowned with feigned concern: "Miss Su, I truly don't understand. Miss Zhang had no grievance with you. Why would you do such a vicious thing to her?"

This statement, though phrased as a question, was in fact a final verdict.

Su Wan froze, staring at Jiang Yaozhen in disbelief.

Jiang Yaozhen's face was filled with just the right amount of confusion and regret, as if she knew nothing about the matter.

So she had already planned her escape route.

Now that Zhang Yan was poisoned and unconscious, Jiang Yaozhen had turned against her. All evidence pointed solely to Su Wan.

Su Wan's heart turned to ice. She was truly panicked.

Just then, an anxious voice came from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, have mercy! Your Highness, have mercy!"

Everyone turned to look. Master Su, not even having had time to straighten his hat, rushed into the hall at a jog and knelt heavily before the Dowager Empress and Xiao Lingchuan: "Your Majesty, Your Highness, my daughter is young and foolish. She heard rumors that... that the Fifth Prince once had feelings for Miss Jiang, and was blinded by jealousy, committing a terrible crime! I beg Your Majesty to show mercy and spare her this once!"

Xiao Lingchuan sneered: "Your daughter is eighteen; Miss Jiang is only seventeen. For you to claim she is 'young and foolish' as an excuse to avoid punishment is utterly ridiculous!"

At these words, a flicker of embarrassment crossed Jiang Shuning's usually composed face.

Xiao Lingchuan knew better than anyone that inside this seventeen-year-old body was not an innocent young girl, but a thirty-year-old woman who had wasted ten years trapped in a manor.

So when Su Wan used such clumsy tricks, she was not only unafraid but even found them laughable.

Master Su was rendered speechless, his face flushed, but he dared not argue. He just kowtowed repeatedly: "I have failed to teach my daughter properly! Wan'er's reckless behavior today is entirely my fault as a father. I am willing to donate half the Su family fortune to the national treasury as atonement for my daughter's crime!"

These words stunned everyone in the hall.

The Su family was one of the wealthiest in the capital. Half of their fortune was an astonishing amount!

The Dowager Empress's originally stern expression seemed to soften slightly at Master Su's tearful words of fatherly love and this staggering price.

She paused for a moment, then spoke slowly: "Very well, in view of your deep fatherly affection, I will grant this. But Miss Su has injured someone; this matter can only be settled if Miss Zhang, upon waking, agrees not to pursue it."

Su Wan and her father breathed a small sigh of relief upon hearing this.

But before they could fully relax, Fifth Prince Xiao Huaijin, who had been watching coldly from the side, suddenly stepped forward.

He bowed respectfully to the Dowager Empress, but his tone was unyielding: "Grandmother, Miss Su is jealous by nature and ruthless in her methods. Today's incident is especially shocking. I... absolutely cannot marry such a woman. I beg Grandmother to make a decision for me and allow me to dissolve the engagement with the Su family!"

These words struck Su Wan like an invisible, heavy blow to the face.

She looked at her fiancé in disbelief, her eyes blurred with tears: "Fifth Prince... how can you... how can you kick me while I'm down?"

But Xiao Huaijin didn't even spare her a glance. He stared stubbornly at the Dowager Empress and repeated: "I beg Grandmother to grant this!"

He knew this move was somewhat harsh.

But today was the perfect opportunity to dissolve the engagement in a justifiable way. If he missed this chance, he would likely end up trapped in a marriage of bitter resentment.

Not long ago, when he had privately discussed dissolving the engagement with her, she had smiled slyly, with meaning: "Fifth Prince truly believes that a deer fawn would convince me to agree to dissolve the engagement? Your Highness is far too naive. What I want is far more than just a deer. I want the honorable title of Fifth Prince's Consort, and... Your Highness's true affection!"

Only then did Xiao Huaijin realize he had been toyed with.

Indeed, a woman born into a merchant family, no matter how innocent she appeared on the surface, would never give up a marriage and the wealth and honor it brought for just a pet.

Since she had gone back on her word and broken her promise, he would not hesitate to take this opportunity to decisively end the engagement!

Seeing Xiao Huaijin's determined attitude, the Dowager Empress had no choice but to agree: "Since that is the case, let it be as you wish."